Grounded 2 Hits 3 Million Players in Early Access

Grounded 2

Grounded 2, the survival adventure from Obsidian Entertainment, is already off to a strong start, crossing the three million player mark just weeks after launching in early access.

The milestone was revealed by Microsoft’s vice president of games marketing, Aaron Greenberg, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The three million figure only includes players on Xbox Series X|S and PC, which covers Steam and the Xbox App. The game is not yet available on other platforms like PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch 2, meaning the total could grow even larger in the future.

Grounded 2 is also on Game Pass, which has likely helped boost the player count. Subscribers to PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can jump in right away. However, the $14.99/month Xbox Game Pass Standard tier will not include the game at launch. That’s because this plan doesn’t offer new first-party Xbox titles on day one.

For those buying it outright, the game costs $29.99 on Xbox and Windows PC. Obsidian has suggested the price will rise to $39.99 when it leaves early access, just like the first game. There’s also a $39.99 Founder’s Edition, which includes cosmetic skins, emotes, a digital artbook, and soundtrack. Players on Game Pass or with the standard edition can get the same extras through a $9.99 Founder’s Pack.

On Steam, Grounded 2 has already outperformed the original in concurrent player records. As per SteamDB, it peaked at 49,836 players shortly after launch, compared to the original’s 2021 peak of just over 32,000.

Reception so far has been largely positive. Steam shows a “Very Positive” rating, with 78% of over 8,000 user reviews praising the game. While early criticism points to optimization and performance issues — a common occurrence for Early Access titles — critics have been encouraging. IGN gave it an 8/10, calling it “a stellar starting point, despite a rocky technical performance,” while GameSpot scored it 7/10, noting its “much stronger foundation for the future.”

Obsidian has already shared a roadmap that stretches well into 2026. Upcoming updates will include new tools, rideable bugs, and boss fights. These additions are expected to bring even more players on board.